Stephen Hawking

Stephen William Hawking (8 January 1942 – 14 March 2018) was an English theoretical astrophysicist, cosmologist, and author who was director of research at the Centre for Theoretical Cosmology at the University of Cambridge. Between 1979 and 2009, he held the prestigious title of Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge.

Hawking was born in Oxford into a family of physicians. Despite being diagnosed with a form of motor neurone disease at age 21, he made groundbreaking contributions to science. His most famous work included the prediction that black holes emit radiation, now known as Hawking radiation.

Hawking also achieved widespread recognition through his popular science books, with A Brief History of Time becoming an international bestseller. He received numerous honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and was celebrated as one of the greatest thinkers of modern times.

Early life

Stephen William Hawking was born on 8 January 1942 in Oxford to Frank and Isobel Eileen Hawking. His parents were both highly educated and came from families with strong ties to science and medicine. Despite facing financial difficulties, they both attended the University of Oxford.

Hawking began his schooling in London and later attended schools in St Albans, where he developed interests in science, especially physics. Despite early academic struggles, he excelled in scientific subjects and decided to study physics at university. In 1959, at the age of 17, he began his studies at University College, Oxford, where he eventually earned a first-class degree in physics. He then continued his studies at the University of Cambridge.

Career

When Stephen Hawking began his studies, scientists were debating how the universe began. Two main ideas were the Big Bang and the Steady State theories. Hawking was inspired by a discovery about black holes and decided to study the whole universe.

Hawking finished his studies and started working on new ideas. He worked with another scientist to show that the universe likely began with a single point. He also helped prove that black holes have just three features: size, spin, and charge. Later, Hawking made a big discovery: black holes can actually emit radiation and slowly disappear. This idea was surprising at first but became accepted later on.

In the following years, Hawking kept making important discoveries. He wrote books to explain these ideas to everyone, not just scientists. One of his books became very famous and was read all over the world. Hawking also continued working with other scientists, exploring questions about the universe's beginning and whether information could be lost in black holes.

Personal views

Stephen Hawking had strong opinions about many important topics. He believed that philosophy was no longer relevant because scientists were now solving big questions about the universe. He worried about the future of humanity, saying Earth might face big dangers like nuclear war, climate change, or even an asteroid hitting us. He thought humans should explore space to stay safe.

Hawking did not believe in God. He felt that science could explain how the universe began without needing a creator. He supported health care for everyone and worried about political decisions that could harm the planet or people. He spoke out against wars and unfair treatment of others, believing everyone deserved to be treated with respect.

Personal life

Stephen Hawking met his future wife, Jane Wilde, at a party in 1962. Soon after, in 1963, he was diagnosed with a serious illness that affected his physical abilities. Despite this, they married in 1965 and had three children together. Hawking's condition required significant care, which often fell to Jane, but they remained devoted throughout their lives.

Hawking faced many challenges due to his illness, which gradually limited his movement and speech. Over time, he used various tools and technologies to communicate and continue his work. Despite these difficulties, he remained an influential scientist and inspired many people around the world.

Death

Stephen Hawking passed away peacefully at his home in Cambridge on 14 March 2018, at the age of 76. Many important people from science, entertainment, and politics shared their thoughts about him. His funeral was held later that month at Great St Mary's Church in Cambridge, with special guests like actors and scientists.

After his cremation, a special thank-you service was held at Westminster Abbey, where his ashes were placed between the graves of famous scientists Sir Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin. On his memorial stone, people can see his famous equation about black holes. In space, a message from Hawking was sent toward a black hole, and later, some of his personal things were sold to raise money for charity.

Media depictions

Stephen Hawking appeared in many films and television shows. Some of these include God, the Universe and Everything Else (1988), The Real Stephen Hawking (2001), and Hawking (2013). He was also in The Simpsons and Star Trek: The Next Generation.

He even lent his voice to songs and other shows, like The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy radio series. Hawking also advertised several products over the years. In 2022, Google celebrated his 80th birthday with a special drawing online.

Awards and honours

Stephen Hawking received many awards and honours for his work. In 1974, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society. He was also part of important groups like the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences.

Hawking received many prizes, including the Copley Medal in 2006 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. Several buildings are named after him, such as the Stephen W. Hawking Science Museum in San Salvador and the Stephen Hawking Centre in Canada.

The Hawking Fellowship

Main article: Hawking Fellowship

In 2017, the Cambridge Union Society created the Professor Stephen Hawking Fellowship. This award is given each year to someone who has made big contributions to science and talking about science, especially for young people. The winner gives a talk called the "Hawking Lecture".

Medal for Science Communication

Hawking helped start the Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication in 2016. This medal is given each year to people in the arts who help make science known to everyone. The medal shows a picture of Hawking and also the first spacewalk made by Alexei Leonov. The first winners were chosen by Hawking himself.

Publications

Stephen Hawking wrote many books and films to explain science for everyone. Some of his most popular books include A Brief History of Time, The Universe in a Nutshell, and My Brief History. He also wrote fun science books for children with his daughter Lucy, like George's Secret Key to the Universe.

Besides books, Hawking appeared in films and TV shows such as A Brief History of Time and The Theory of Everything. He also published many important research papers on topics like black holes and the universe.